Selective card slotting device



March 4, 1941. s. nBusTER, JR. ETAL. 2,233,662

SELECTIVE CARD SLOTTING DEVICE I Filed May 4, 1940' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1F'JiE- EA INVENTORS SfiA/FOAD D. BUSTEA J'n gaue: rem/x e- ATTORNEYSMarch 4, 1941. US JR, sum. 2,233,662-

SELECTIVE cm) SLOTTING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1940 2 Sh t's-Sheefi 2 AT-rdREYs I FINVENTORS SANFO R0 0. Basra/v.07:

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,233,662 SELECTIVE'CARD SLOTTINGDEVICE Sanford D. Buster, Jr., Mill Valley, and Dallas R.

Trinkle, Oakland, Calif.

Application May 4, 1940, Serial No. 333,372

14 Claims. (Cl. 164-114) The invention relates to card slotters, and hasfor .one of its objects the provision of an improved device forpreparing marginally perforated recv rd cards for sorting byconventional methods employed in the art of sorting marginally slottedcards.

Another object is the provision of improved means for cutting orslotting out the edge of a card thatis formed with holes along one ormore of its edges for opening one or more of such holes, as desired.

Another object is improved means for. slotting out to the edge of a cardor paper slip, one or' more pro-formed holes along such edge inaccordance with one or more openings formed in the edge of another card.

Another object is the provision of improved means for selectivelyslotting out to the edge of a card one or more'previously punched holesalong said edge, which means is controlled by the operator, while at thesame time additional means is provided for slotting out'other holes inthe same card under the control of a key card or plate.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specification anddrawings secured hereto.

Cards or paper slips or sheets adapted tobe formed for use by ourinvention are initially provided with a line or lines of spaced holesalong one or more edges of the card or paper on which information of onekind or another is to be entered. These holes are identically spaced ingreat numbers of such cards and are individually numbered or otherwiseidentified. In the use of these prepared cards the card is cut awaybetween one or more of these holes and the adjacent edge, according wsome predetermined system by which the locations or the holes so openedidentifies a name, number, or other desired information. When theslotted cards are stacked on edge and in alignment, the holes in;

such stack form open ended passageways through which a rod, needle, orsimilar instrument may be passed, and then upon moving the rod laterallyin the direction toward the card edges adjacent the holes, the cardsthat are slotted will remain stationary or may be shaken free from theremainder oi the stack, while the holes through which the rod is passed,but which are not slotted, will carry such unslotted cards free from theothers. By repetition of this operation on successive holes orcombinations, or by using several rods in diilerent passageways at onetime, cards may be rapidly and accurately sorted. Also, other systems ofsorting marginally slotted cards are employed, such as in the U. S.patent to Grifin, 2,134,715, but most oi these systems have generallythe same underlying principle of operation.

Our invention is adapted tor use with the sorting system, generallydescribed above, and utilizes cards of the type described, these cardsbeing previously formed with a line of located and identified holesadjacent one or more of the edges. The improvement herein described andclaimed provides for the repetition or duplica tion, in a singleoperation, of any given combination of slots arranged in accordance withholes that have already been formed in the margin of a card, or by slotsthat have already been formed by opening certain holes to the edge ofthe card, More specifically, the invention includes providing a gangouting or slotting device capable of cutting, or slotting out, all theholes in any one side of the'card at a single tions and the like mayhave the copy which goes to the billing ofice punched along one or moreedges with holes representing numbers, or other indicia, inpredetermined arrangement as may be desired. Each customer may beassigned an identifying number and is provided with a card, plate or thelike, punched or slotted to act as a key plate for that number. Eachselling department is provided with one of my devices, hereinafterdescribed, and. which, in addition to the controllable cutters, punches,or the like,

may have additional cutters so located and operated as to identify thedepartment or station from which the sales slip issues, or such cuttersmay be located to identify the day of the week, month, or the like. Whena purchase is made the customer presents his key card, which is insertedin the device and the sales slip slotted. The key card thus notonly'positively identitles the customer, acting as a credit card orcharge plate, but also permits all sales slips prepared with it tobeimmediately sorted out of the mass of sales slips which accumulateduring any billing period. The aforesad additional cutters, which arethe identification oi the issuing station, or thcdate, or both, permitthe sales of any station or department to be sorted out forclassification. Many other uses will suggest themselves to personsfamiliar with selective sorting of cards whether by the direct orindirect method.

Heretoiore applicants have made attempts to accomplish the describedresults of this invention by use of reciprocable punches arranged ingangs and selectively actuated by portions of a key plate or card forpunching out portions of a card or sheet. Such punches have been pivotedfor swinging certain punches out of registering engagement with a femaledie plate for rendering such punches inoperative, and in other instancesapplicants have attempted to hold back certain punches by blank portionsof a key plate or card while permitting others to pass unobstructedportions of the key card to cut out the desired parts of another card orsheet. These attempts have proven the inoperability of reciprocatingpunches for manual operation thereof due to the excessive power requiredand the impossibility of cutting stock of various thicknesses.Applicants have overcome all of the objections to the use ofreciprocating punches. hence the use of the term cutters herein used,does not relate to punches. I

Another important point to bear in mind is the fact that applicantsdevice is adapted to use a key card or paper stock of any desired degreeof thinness, the one preferably employed being relatively light, such assingle or double ply material. Also applicants device is adapted tofunction with a key card having pre-punched openings therein asdistinguished from notches in the margins. The use of notched margins onkey cards is not practical since these cards are ordinarily subjected to'much use and abuse, and the portions between adjacent notches arereadily torn, bent, or mutilated, rendering the key cards worse thanuseless.

The following is a brief description of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of our device with certain parts-in section andothers in elevation.

Fig. 2 isa sectional view along line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 2A is a sectional view along line 2A-2A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of our device with the cover insection.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of one end of a key card and a sales slipor card as slotted by the device, using said key card or plate.

Fig. is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view illustrating the key cardand card to be slotted in position for slotting the latter.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, our preferred device comprises a horizontalbase member I which is in the form of a rectangular plate, on which issupported all of the elements of the device. Secured to base I is a pairof arms 2 extending rearwardly and then slantingly upwardly andrearwardly from the forward portion of said base, the forward portion ofsaid base being designated F, which letter also refers generally to thefront side of the device, hence the terms forwardly, rearwardly, or thelike, are used with respect to the forward or front side of the device.The upper ends of said arms 2 are connected by a horizontal bar 3 whilethe lower ends are formed with axially aligned openings in which arefixedly secured sleeves 4 and 5. Said sleeves also serve as bearings foropposite ends of a rotatable, horizontal shaft 6.

I. The screws I extend through openings in the ends of said plate, andinto the upper ends of extend slantingly downwardly from rod I0 to restI at their lower edges on the upper side of plate 1 adiacent the upperedge of said latter plate.

These plates II are secured to rod II) by means of set screws I2 thatextend through projections I3 carried on the under side of the uppermargins of the plates II, as best indicated in Fig. 2.

v The plate 1 extends along its lower margin beyond the lower edge ofbar 3, and the edge of said plate so overhanging said bar, is formedwith a row of equally spaced outwardly opening recesses IA. Theopposite'sides of each recess I4 extends slightly convergently from saidlower edge (Fig. l). The plate I and plates II are disposed insubstantially the same plane, and together comprise the support for acard or sales slip to be slotted out. The plates I I are relativelythin, hence she upper sides of plates II and 'I are substantiallyplanar. The outermost edge. of each plate II, relative to their adjacentedges, is formed with a right angle flange I5 extending from theforwardly and generally upwardly facing side thereof to provide guidesfor the opposite edges of a cardor paper sheet supported on the plates II, and as the said plates I I are adjustable, longitudinally of rod II),it will be seen that the guide flanges I5 may be'spaced apart anydesired distance and the said plates II may be moved to various adjustedpositions on rod I0.

Above plates 1 and I I, and positioned to extend past the lower edge ofplate I I, is a key card supporting plate I6, which plate I6 is'pivotedat its ends to bracket extensions 9, as at H. The pivots H are forwardlyof rod I0, and plate I6 is suspended from said pivots at a slightlysteeper incline than the slant of plates 1 and I I. The plate I6 alsoterminates at its lower edge above plate 1 and spaced from the innerends of recesses I4 in the latter. The lower edge of plate I6 may beyieldably held slightly spaced from the upper surface'of plate I by anysuitable means, such as by a spring IS'secured at one end to bracket 8and resiliently bearing against a lateral projection IS on one of thepivots I'I, said pivots being projecting stub shafts integral with theends of plate I6 adjacent its upper edge. Thus a paper slip or card isfree to be slipped downwardly on plates I and II below plate I6, but aslight pressure against plate I6 at the lower margin of the latter willmove the lower edge of plate I6 to frictionally grip the paper or cardagainst plate I.- However, plate I6 may be freely pivoted on its pivotsI'I without spring I8. I

Over plate I6 is a pair of plates (Figs. 1 and, 2), which plates arespaced from the upper and forwardly facing side of plate I6. From theouter edges of plates 20 (with respect to their ad jacentedges) extendright angle flanges 2| in a direction rearwardly toward plate I6, whichflanges constitute guides for a key card, or the like, that is adaptedto be supported on plate I6. Said plates 20 are adjustably supported formovement on rod 22, which rod'is secured at its end to brackets 8, andset screws 23 extend through bosses 24 through which the.rod 22 extends.These plates 20 are therefore movable to wardly opening slot (Fig. 3)just above the spacer as plates H.

The key card, or the like, that is adapted for use with my device, isadapted to be positioned against the upper and forwardly facing side ofplate l6, and is supported in said position 'on pins 25 that projectforwardly from the lower edge of said plate at points below a horizontalrow of openings 26 formed in the lower margin of plate I6 (Figs. 2, 3and The sides 2| also insure exact positioning of said card.

Each of the openings 26 is above one of the slots H in plate 1, for areason later described.

The shaft 6 is slotted at opposite sides for receiving a strip 28 in oneslot and the shorter leg 295 of an angle strip in the other slot. Thelonger leg 29 of said angle strip extends transversely thereof belowshaft 6 and rearwardly. Strip 28 extends transversely thereof slantinglyupwardly and rearwardly from shaft 6 (Figs. 2 and 5) The exterior ofshaft 6 is formed with equally spaced sets of grooves 30 extendingtransversely thereof, each of which sets comprises a pair of suchgrooves equally spaced apart. Each of the grooves 30 carries one of thecutter blades 3|, said blades being also formed in sets corresponding tothe sets of grooves, and each set of blades forms one of the cuttingelements for slotting out one of the openings in the edge of the card.

In order to simplify the description of the cutters, only one of thesets of blades, comprising a pair thereof, will be described.

Each blade 3| is preferably of resilient, spring metal, and may bestamped from sheet metal. The blades are disposed, in vertical planesand are elongated with one end split or slotted generally longitudinallyof the blade to form an upper arm 32 and a lower arm 33, the blade beingattached to the shaft 6 by slipping the arms 32 and 33 laterally ofshaft 6 into the grooves 38 that are above and below the leg 29 of theangle strip in a manner so that the upwardly projecting portion of strip28 extends into slot 35 that forms the arms. Grooves 30 are formedcircum ferentially ofv the shaft 6 and the edges of the arms in saidslots are slightly curved to conform to the circular contour of thegrooves, thus enabling the blades to rotate on the shaft.

From grooves 30 the blades 3| of each set extend upwardly and slightlyrearwardly of shaft 5 in parallel planes to line 34 that extendstransversely of the blades, and from line 34 (Fig. 1) the blades of theset extend convergently toward each other to engagement at their upperends. A spacer 36 is disposed between the blades of the set, said spacerbeing reduced at its ends for fitting said reduced ends in openings inthe blades. Each spacer is connected to leg 29 of the angle strip by acoil spring 31; which spring yieldably holds the set of blades in aposition with the inner edge of upper arm 32 adjacent the upper side ofstrip 28 projecting upwardly from shaft 6. However, if the set of bladesis held while the shaft 8 is turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2)the spring will stretch to permit the holding of the set of bladesagainst rotating with the shaft.

Each blade 3| is formed with a generally rear- 36 that is between eachset of blades, thus providing parallel, opposed marginal portions 38'defining part of the lower edge of said slot, the

s'aid'slot being indicated at 48. The margins 38 of each set of bladesis disposed within one of the recesses I 4 (Fig. 5) at all times, theouter sidesshaft in the position indicated in Fig. 2 in which of saidmargins fitting firmly, but slidably, against the opposite sides of therecess, and thus firm contact between the margins and sides of therecess is maintained by reason of the inherent resiliency of the blades.The upper edges 5 of the set of margins 38 in each set of blades arebeveled along their opposed sides to form cutting edges 39. This cuttingedge on each blade is of a lengthto freely move into recess l4longitudinally of the sides of said recess upon rotating shaft 6, themovement relative to the sides of the recess being a. shearing movement.In Fig. 5 the dotted position of the cutting edge is indicated at 38f,when the shaft 6 is rotated clockwise, and there is nothing to impederotation of the blades with the shaft.

Since cutting edges 39 of each set of blades is carried by theconverging upper portions of the blades, it will be seen that said edgesalso extend convergently, and the degree of convergence of 2 the saidedges is such that the cutting edges will substantially follow theconverging sides of recess l4.

The upper side of recess 48 is relatively narrow in width, and sincethese upper sides on each set of blades are in engagement, the result isthe formation of a single finger 4| extending generally rearwardly anddownwardly (Fig. 3) when the blades are in their normal position beforerotation of shaft 6. The fingers 4| are each adapted to pass into one ofthe openings 26 in plate l8 when the shaft 6 is rotated, the fingersmoving in an are about the shaft 6 as a central axis.

Enclosed within an enlarged end of sleeve 4 through which one end ofshaft 5 passes, is a torsion spring 42 (Fig. 1), one end of which issecured to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, in the conventionalmanner to yieldably hold the the fingers it are completely out of holes26 and the cutting edges 39 are spaced from recesses I 4. The sleeve 5is slotted at its end adjacent'strip 28 to receive one end of saidstrip, and in the 4 position shown in Fig. 2 the upper side of saidstrip engages one side of said slot, being held against said side bytorsion spring 42. The width of the slot circumferentially of the sleeveis such as to permit sufficient rotation of the shaft 5 to carry theblades to slightly beyond the dotted position indicated in Fig. 5. Thelength of said slot being indicated at 44 in Fig. 5.

The end of shaft 6 projecting outwardly of sleeve 4 carries a laterallyprojecting handle 45 for rotating shaft 8, and a housing 48 encloses theelements of the device, except for the handle 45 and a portion of sleeve4. The top of said housing is provided with an opening ll that extendsgenerally the length of the plate It and which opening .is of a widthextending between the upper edges of plates l I and 20.

In operation, assuming the device is to be used in connection withconventional credit cards, as used by customers of gasoline companies,the salesman first fills out a sales slip, indicated at 48 in Fig. 4,which slip is formed at one end with a row of holes 48 in positionscorresponding to areas at the inner ends of recesses Hi, enclosed by thesides and ends of the recesses, respectively. After making out the slip,it is slipped through opening 81 in housing 66 and passes downwardly onplates H and 1 until the lower edge engages against the edges of margins38 iusted, so that the slip, when it engages the blades 3| 'will bepositioned so that holes 49 register exactly over the areas at the innerends of recesses l4. The credit card, indicated'at 50 in Fig. 4, has oneor several holes 51 punched along one margin, the arrangement of thehole or holes so punched being peculiar to .each customer, but in eachinstance when the card 50 'is slipped downwardly onto plate 15 andbetween guides 2| until'supported on pins 25, the hole or.

holes 5i so punched and guided byv guides 2|, will register exactly withholes 26 in plate [6.

Upon moving the handle 45 to rotate shaft 5 clockwise (Fig. 5), thefingers 4| that are over the holes 5| in card 50 will freely passthrough said holes, but the other fingers of the row will be held by theimperforate portions of said -card,

hence as the shaft 6 continues to be rotated, cutting edges 39 of theblades 3| that carry the fingers passing through holes 5!, will slot outthe corresponding holes 41 in the sales slip, to the edge of the salesslip along convergent lines, and when the sales slips are turned in tothe main oflice for billing these slips are readily sorted out by themethod already described.

It is important to note that the engagement between the fingers 4i andcard 50 will cause the plate iii to be moved downwardly against slip 48so as to firmly hold said slip in place against slippage during cuttingby the cutting edges 39, and as soon as this pressure is released byrelease of the handle 45, the slip is released for being freelywithdrawn from the device.

In some instances, 'it is desirable to provideone or a plurality ofcutters adapted to be set .in any desired arrangement or combination,for

cutting out one or more openings in' slipsor cards independently of thekey card, or the like, in which case the two cutters 52 indicated at theleft end of the row (Fig. 1), are provided. These cutters each are bestindicated in Fig. 2A, each being identical with the blades 3!, exceptfor the portion above the cutting edge 39. Above edge 39 the blade isformed with an arcuate,

rearwardly opening slot 40' adapted to receive a horizontal pin 53carried on the lower end of an arm 54. Arm 54 is pivotally supportedintermediate its upper and lower ends on a horizontal shaft 55. bracket8.

The arcuate slot 48' is disposed and shapec. with reference to pin 53 sothat the set of blades is free to swing with shaft 5 so long as the pin53 is swung to be in the path of travel of said slot, but the upper sideof slot 40, or theportion generally corresponding to finger 4| of theother blades, already described, is formed at the rear end with adownwardly opening recess 55 into which pin 53 may be swung uponmovement, of the arrn.54 counterclockwise when looking at the arm asshown in Fig. 2A. The upper end 54 of arm 54 is manipulated by thefinger of the operator to swing'pin 53 into recess 55, and when the pinis soyswung, the blades cannot move with shaft 5, hence are inoperative.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device for slotting cards; a plurality of slotting cuttersarranged. in a substantially straight line movably supp ted for arcuatecutting action thereof for slotting; a plate formed with recessescooperating with said cutters; a common means for simultaneouslyactuating all of said cutters through' the slotting stroke; anindependent resilient element interposed between each of' said cuttersand said actuating a Shaft 55 is supported on means, and a key card orthe like arrangedto be interposed between a portion of said cutters anda card to be slotted and having at least one enclosed opening therein,-through which said portion of a cutter may freely operate, the blank"areas of said key card rendering other of said cutters inoperative byengaging portions of said other cutters and thereby causing distortionof the corresponding interposed resilient members.

2. In a device for slotting cards, a plurality of sets-of cutterspaced,individual, cutting blades arranged in a substantially straightline, each of said sets comprising a pair of blades, each of 3. In aconstruction as described in claim 2,

said openings beirg fullysurrounded by the ma- .terial of said key cardand arranged in a row along one edge of said key card.

4. A device for slotting cards comprising a plurality of pairs of spacedindividual cutting blades arranged in a row with their flat sides inopposed relation, a shear plate formed with a plurality of outwardlyopening recesses along one edge respectively positioned to receive apair of said blades for movement of the respective blades of each pairtransversely of the plane of said plate in shearing relation to theopposite sides of said recesses, means for, so moving the blades, meansfor supporting a card in position against said plate withone of itsedges over said recesses for vcutting by said blades, means for causingsaid movement of the said plurality of pairs simultaneously and meansfor obstructing 4 the movement of any of said pairs as desired.

5. A device for slotting cards comprising, a plurality of pairs ofspaced cutting blades ar- I ranged in a row with their flat sides inopposed relation, a shear plate formed with a plurality of outwardlyopening recesses along one edge respectively positioned to receive apair of saidblades for movement of the respectiveblades of each pairtransversely of the plane of saidplate in' shearing relationto theopposite sides of said recesses, means for so moving the blades, meansfor supporting a card'in position against said plate with one of itsedges over said recesses for cutting by said blades, means for causingsaid movement of said plurality of pairs of blades simultaneously, meansfor obstructing the movement of any of said pairs as desired, the bladesof each pair being of resilientmetal and yieldably follow said sidesupon movement of the blades into each recess.

6. In a construction as defined in claim 4, means actuated by actuationof the means for causing simultaneous movement of said pairs of bladesarranged and adapted to grip a card adapted to be positioned againstsaid shear plate for holding such card stationary against movementduring cutting thereof by said blades.

7. A device for slotting cards comprising a plurality of pairs of spacedindividual cutting blades" and a shear plate cooperative therewith forshear cutting by the blades upon actuation thereof, means for actuatingsaid blades to cause said cutting, means for obstructing the movement ofat least one of said blades upon cutting,

movement of said blades and means for simultaneously actuating all ofthe pairs not obstructed by said last mentioned means.

8. In a construct-ionas defined in claim '7, the means for obstructingsaid movement comprising an element positioned adjacent each pair of aplurality of said pairs, each element being individually movable to aposition obstructing cutting movement of the pair of blades adjacentthereto.

9. In a card-slotter, a horizontal shaft supporting a row of spacedcutting devices projecting radially from one side thereof relative tothe longitudinal axis of said shaft, means mounting said shaft forrotation on said axis for revolving said devices in paths about saidaxis, said devices having cutting edges facing-generally in thedirection of revolution of said devices, means for positioning andsupporting a card or the like with one of its edges in said pathswhereby such card will be cut inwardly from said one of itsedges uponrotating said shaft and revolving of said devices in said paths.

10. In a construction as defined in claim 9, I

tioned card when such latter card is positioned with one of its edges insaid path and when the said shaft is rotated for revolving said devices,means yieldably holding said devices in alignment in said row, meanssecuring said devices to said shaft for movement relatively in theirrespective paths upon obstruction to rotation of one or more of saidprojections by said key card, and a key card adapted to be rearwardlysupported in said position formed with one or more openings in the pathof one or more of said projections for freely passing such projectionswhen the said devices are revolved whereby said first mentioned cardwill be cut by the cutting edge of only such devices having projectionsunobstructed by said key card.

12. In a card slotter for slotting cards, a row of cutting devicesarranged in a substantially straight line, each of said' cuttersincluding a pair of cutting edges and the cutting edges of the devicesof said row being co-planar and facing outwardl of said row, a plateformed with a row of recesses each having opposed edges cooperating withthe cutting edges of said devices respectively, means mounting saiddevices formovement of said edges through a slotting stroke. meanscapable of simultaneously actuating all of said edges through saidstroke, a fiat key card adapted for insertion in said device leavingsolid portions arranged to render the cutting edges of at least one ofsaid devices inoperative by interrupting its movement in said stroke andsaid card having openings formed therein to permit normal operation-ofthe remainder of said devices and edges thereof, and interruptableelements secured to said devices in the path of movement of said edgesin said stroke, and between at least one or more pairs of openings insaid row.

13. In a card slotter, a horizontal shaft supporting a row of spacedcutting devices projecting radially from one side'thereof relative tothe longitudinal axis of said'shaft, means mounting said shaft forrotation on said axis, said devices having cutting edges facinggenerally in the direction of revolution 'of said devices, a card, orthe like, positioning means for positioning and supportirrg said card,or the like, with one of its margins including the edge therealong insaid paths whereby such margin will be cut inwardly from said edge upon,rotation of said shaft and revolving said devices in said paths, saidmargin of said card being formed with a row of openings spaced from saidedge and from each other, said openings being positioned to correspondto one of each of said paths and said cutting edges of each pairpositioned to out said card from said edge to one of each of theopenings of said row whereby slots will be cut in said margin to saidopenings, control means for selectively restricting movement of one ormore ofsaid devices, and means for simultaneously actuating the devicesfree from restriction by said control means.

14. A card slotter comprising a row of individual, spaced cutters eachprovided with a finger projecting therefrom and rigidly secured theretofor movement therewithpmeans supporting said cutters and the fingersrespectively secured thereto for movement of said cutters and saidfingers, respectively, in individual spaced paths of travel across twoseparate planes; means for" simultaneously actuating said cutters andthe fingers secured thereto for said movement; separate, spaced meansfor respectively removably supporting a flat card or the like in each ofsaid planes in a position with one of the margins of one card disposedacross the paths of travel of said cutters for slotting thereby during aslotting stroke thereof and with one of the margins of the other carddisposed across the paths of travel of said fingers; a fiat key cardadapted to be removably positioned on the said means for supporting thesame with one of its margins across the paths of travel of said fingers;said key card being formed along said one of its margins with openingsand imperfoby said key card for rendering the cutters secured to saidlatter fingers inoperative for movement through said slotting stroke.

SANFORD D. BUS'I'ER, JR. DALLAS R. TRINKIE.

